Multicolor shuttle changer loom



Sept. 15, 1936. R. G; TURNER MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGER LOOM Filed OC'b. 8, 1954y s sheets-sheet i (lttorneg Sept. l5, 1936.-

R. G. TURNER MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGER LOOM.

Filed Oct. 8, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sventor 57 Richard G Turer Q c. dm'nen) sept.15,1936. A RG'T'URWRV Y 2,054,179l

MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGER LOOM Filed oct. 8, 1934l ys sheets-she@ 3' gnventur Richard; Er. Tu r'nver Y Mv evil.

Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED Ysf'rrcllazs MULTICOLOR SHUTTLE CHANGER LOOM Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass., assignor to Crompton & Knowles Loom Works, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 8, 1934, Serial No. 747,358

11 Claims.

This is a continuation in part of my application Serial Number 585,564.

This invention relates to improvements in multicolor shuttle changing looms more particularly of the type wherein the replenishment of the various kinds of shuttles take place at the same side of the loom and it is the general object of the invention to provide improved means for advancing a selected shuttle from any of the reserve stacks to changing position. a Y

In the type of loom to which my invention more particularly relates there are stacks of reserve shuttles, and shifting shuttle boxes which alter their position `in order to receive and discharge the spent shuttle and at the same time to receive a full shuttle from the magazine.. Where the boxes and magazine have independent controls, one may operate without the other and cause faulty operation. It is an important object of my present invention to actuate the rising boxes and the reserve shuttle advancing mechanismof the magazine through a common member, so that both of these mechanisms will be required to operate not onlyl on the same beat of the loom butin a'denite time relation. 'I'he means for accomplishing this result may include a set of hooks or the like to be called into action one at a time by a normally idle actuator controlled by the weft detector mechanism.A Relative motion between the hooks and actuator is caused by a color selector movable in timed relation with the weaving shuttles.

Whilethe actual coordinating mechanism isY mechanical in its operation, yet I have shown herein an Velectro-magnetic control and it is a further object of my invention to provide devices which permit the momentary actuation of the magnetic circuit to set the shuttle advancing mechanism, a yielding lock or the like being provided which will act to hold an actuator and the shuttle advancers in operative position even though the controller circuit should become broken for any reason. The lock as shown herein is of the type which serves to unlock itself on the return or non-working stroke of the actuator.

With these and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the combination vand arrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

The magazine control mechanism includes hooks movable to be operatively relatable one atv a time to an actuator called into .action by weft detector mechanism. It is a further object of my invention to provide an improved .form of" actuator capable of assuming different settings so that the time of beginning and ending the magazine operations may be varied. In this connection a stop collar maybe used on one of the shuttle releasing devices to prevent excessmo.-A tion which would result in moving the incoming shuttle too far.

The previously mentioned hooks are subjected to a constant back and forth motion under .con-

trol of the pattern mechanism. In order to pre- 10 vent breakage of Vthe hooks and their connectors I propose to use yielding connections which will absorb the shock caused by the color slide, Y

In the accompanying drawings, wherein a convenient embodiment of my invention is set forth, 15

Fig. 1 is a side elevation o-f the lower part of a loom having my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a view of the upper part of the loom on the same side, certain parts being in section,

Fig. 3 is a plan View taken vin the direction of 2 ,arrow 3, Fig. 1, Y

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the circuits and certain parts of the loom structure, showing both 2 5, I have shown the lay L provided with upper and 3 lower drop boxes I and I l, respectively, at the left hand side to accommodate shuttles havingA two different kinds of weft. The pattern mechanism P is composed of a lever I2 having a run IBpoSit-ioned to engage successively .the patternV 40 chain balls I4. When a low ball appears under the lever the latter will fall as is usual, but when a highball rolls under the lever, the latter is raised to lift rod l5. A rocking lever I6 pivoted near the as to, rock with lever I2, .and two switches I1 and'.

I8 are opened and closed by'thepatternmechanism acting through the lever I6.

.On the opposite side of the loom is the magazinev M which in the present instance is provided with 505 a dividing plate 28 separating the magazine into iront and back .compartments 21E and 22, respectively, A release lever .23 has a foot 2.4 projecting into the front guideway to support the fron1:.re'r

serve shuttles, while a plunger 25 is located =beY 552l Y bottom of rod I5 at A is .connected to the rod so 45;

hind the rear guideway. A'su'pport 21 is provided for the rear reserve shuttles the bottom one of which rests on the support.. As shown herein a movable platform 28 is under the front stackand in front of the lowest shuttle of the `rear stack.

is provided with an upper shuttle box 40 normally in active` position, and a lower box 4I normally inactive. These vboxes are supported by a rod 42, vthe lower end of which isoperatively connected toa lever 43Yby means of an adjustable stud 44 on'the lever, and a yielding connection comprising twol hinged parts'45 and 46-yieldingly held to on the leverg43.

the stud. The box rod may be pivoted to link 46, Vall as'usual. f j

'Ihe bottom shaft 5I) of the loom has a groove cam 5I which receivesra roll 52 on a'lever 53 given regular motions by the cam. The forward end Vof lever 53 has pivoted thereto 'a latch 54 normally held in inoperative position by means of a spring 55 so that as the lever 53 rocks periodically'the latch willnormally clear VaV lifting ledge 56 formed A solenoid 51 carried Vby the lever V53-.is effective when energized to move the latch to the position indicated in Fig. 7 under the ledge 56, so Vthat upward movement of the forward end ofi-the lever 53 will raise the lever 43 to lift l box rod 42.

Y The matter thus far described forms-no part of myfpresent invention. The magazine as shown in Fig. 2 and a portion of the mechanism shown in Figrl may be as set forth in a shuttle changing loom heretofore proposed by me and shown in application Serial YNo. 460,746. For the purposes of the present description it issuflicient to state that the operation of the magazine requires the downward movementV of one or the other of the rods132for 36, depending upon which' shuttle is active'. .The platform 28 will receive a reserve Yshuttle and the shuttle changing boxes 49 and 4| will rise so that' theftop box will receive the shuttle ,'onlthe platform vand the spent shuttle coming from'the opposite side of the loomV will enter the lower box 4I. The Vplatform may be moved rearwardly to permit the shuttleon it to fall intothe topY box. Thereafter, downward movementY ofl the shuttle changing boxes to the normal running position will be accompanied by Vanejection of the spent shuttle from the lower box,.and placing of the new shuttle into action bythe top box. Y

The loom may be operated with call boxes by means of connections shown in Fig. 5, either of the shuttles remaining active as long as desired,

with assurance that the replacement of an exhausted idle shuttle will not take place until itV returns to action.V YIn this connection I may provide the upper box I with contacts 58 and 59, andthe lower box with contacts 60 and 6I. Contacts 59 and 6I are groundedby wire 62, Vwhile wire 63`connects contact 58 with point 66` of switch I1, and wire 64 connects contact 60 with Vpoint 61.01? switch I8. Switch points 15 and 16 Vof switches I1 and I8, respectively, are connectedv by a wire 68 to the solenoid 51, and thelatter isV connected by Wire 69 to a transformer 10. The solenoid may be grounded by wire 1I, and the core of the solenoid may be mechanically connected as at 12 tothe latch 54 to oppose spring 55.

By means of these connections it will be neces'- sary not only to have a circuit closed through one or the other of the shuttles on the pattern mechanism side of the loom, but it will also be necessary tohave. the proper. switch I1 or I8 closed,

` depending upon which shuttle is next to be active,

before the solenoid 51 can be actuated. `In this way a depleted shuttle may remain idle on the pattern mechanism side of the loom without bringing about'operation of the magazine.

. YMy present invention includes means for coordinating the movements of the boxes and shuttle advancers 24 and 25, and also improved means for actuating the rods 32 and 36, together with a lock effective to insure coaction between the actuatorand the box. In carryingrmy invention into effect I provide the lower ends of rods 32 and 36 with rearwardly and Vforwardly extendinghooks 80, and'BI, respectively. The normally stationary lever 43 is provided with a rear extension 82 having an arcuate substantially vertical slot :83 in which is adjustably held an actuator 11 held'at the desired vertical position by nut 18. The actuatorV stud extends over the hooks and is normally at rest but is movable downwardly along a determined path when lever 43 is oscillated. Y

A sliding block or positioner 84 is mounted in a guide stand 85 secured to the loomside as shown in Fig. 3, and kthe'hooks 80 and 8l pass through slots 86 and V81, respectively, in said slide.V A tension spring88 interposed between the slide and a fixed part of therstand -85 tends normally'to move said slide forwardly, or'in such position as willv place the hook '8| normally under the actuator 11. A flexible connection 89 as shown in Fig. is connected to a reversing lever 90, and a second flexible connection 9| extends from said lever around a sheave 92 to a finger 93 secured to the-rod I5. V'l'he Vspring 88 serves to hold the lever I2 down against Vthe pattern chain and the latter moves the slide against the action of the spring. y

When the lever VI2 is raised the parts will be in the position shown in Fig. 1 with the hook 89 under'fthe actuator 11, and when the pattern chain permits lowering of the lever I2 the spring 88 will move the slide V84 to the leftras'viewed in Fig. 1 to place hook BI under the actuator 11. By the mechanism-'justdescribed the pattern mechanism is effective-to place one or the other of the hooks 80 or 8l inoperative position with respect to the actuator 11 to causeYV depression Iof one or the other ofthe rods 32 or 36 toadvance the shuttles as already described. Y

I have'found it desirable to interpose a shock absorbing connection between the rods 32 and 36 and their respective hooks in order to prevent breakage of the hook and rodconnections asV lieve any strainsrwhich might'result from move- Y ment of the slide84. Y, Y

Where the loom ris run at high speed there is the possibility that vibration may shake the elec` tric contacts so that the current flowing through the...solenoi`d,will be interrupted withconsequent deenergization ofthe so'len'oidileld.v 1 Under these conditions the latch will return to its inoperative` position if thev actuator lever V53 -has .not started-on its .working stroke, and to prevent such a condition Ifuse'a lock forlthe latch which will act-.to hold the latter in vitsoperative position until the working stroke ofthe lever. 53will bring about'engagement between the latch and `the lifting ledge 56. f f Y l v.The lock is shown in'Fig. '7, where it will .be seen' thatfth'e rnormally stationaryl lever 43- has a fiat horizontal springf|00` which' may extend over the ledge 56 and has a hook end |0| bent up andback toward the lever carried support |02 ofthe spring. The latchhas an upwardly extending relatively rigid hook |03 having an inclined surface |04 adapted to coact with the hook |0|. 1

When the solenoid acts through the connection 12 ,the-latch will move to the position Vshown in Fig. "I, causing the rigid end |04 to pass over and to the right of the yieldingspring hook |0I. Hook |0| will temporarily move to the dotted line positionshown inFig. 7. Thereafter, one -of two conditions can exist, namely, either the solenoid will remain energized, or' a break will develop in the circuit and the solenoid will release the latch. f f

If the first condition exists, the lever 53-will raise the latch on its Working stroke. until the latter engages the overhang'56, thereby lifting the actuator. During this `operation the hook |04 is held by the solenoid out of engagement with the spring hook IDI, although starting its up motion from a position below the top of the spring hook. The rigid hook rises with a relatively quick motion to a .position abovethe spring hook before the latch engages the overhang 55, so that on the following slower down motion of lever 53 on its non-working stroke, the spring 55. will `have time to move hook |04, clear the hook lill, thus permitting the parts to return to normal position.``

If the other condition exists, that is, if the solenoid becomes -deenergizedxsbefore the latch' and overhang interengage each other, the rigid hook |04 will be moved by spring 55 against holding hook l0! to the position shown in Fig. 8. 'Ihe left inclined surface |05 of.hook.,|04 willi'lie against the spring' hook |0I to hold the latch under the overhang 56, although farther from the lever 53 than with the first condition shown in Fig. '7.

During the beginning of the working stroke of lever 53 under this second condition the rigid latch, released by the solenoid and stressed by spring 55, will maintain engagement with the spring hook |0|, bending the latter upwardly from the dotted to the full line position of Fig.

8 until the latch engages the overhang and starts to be cammed toward lever 43 by the inclined under surface |06 of the ledge 56. At about this time, with the parts in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 9, hook |04 moves to the right and separates from hook |0|, after which the spring hook |0| returns to the dotted line normal position shown in Fig. 9. On the following return or non-working stroke of the latch, the rigid hook will pass over and to the left of the spring hook, to restore the parts to normal position, as in the previous condition.

Under either condition one or the other of the hooks will be depressed to advance the selected reserve shuttle toward box 40. In order that plunger 25 may'not move its shuttle .too fai' forwardly, I provide'a stop collar ||0 on..stem v33 Aand this collar engages a fixed ypart 'of themag+ azine for the purpose mentioned.l i By the emechanism described inconnection with Figs. 8 andv9,assurance is `given Vthat a single lenergization vof the solenoid will iresult iirdepression of the proper rod 32 or 36, depending upon whichshuttleis exhausted.

From the foregoing it will be `seen that I hav provided a common actuator forthe box rod 42 and the shuttle advancers. In the present `instance this common actuator is the. lever 43 whichxacts to advance a shuttle Vtoward changingposition only at such times asthe shifting boxes at the magazine end of the `,loom 'arev risingto .effect the exchange of shuttles. In this waythe two devices which must coact to complete a change -of Vshuttles are required to-move together, movement of eachdevice being dependent upon movement of the other device. vIt will further be seen that the locking mechanism of which hooks |0| and |04-are parts operates independently of the solenoid to insure movement of theactuator 11.' Furthermore, it will be seen that the pattern mechanism operates vby meansof mechanical connections to select which of the shuttle 'advancers shall be positioned. for transfer, while at the Sametime this same mechanism controls one of the two breaks of the solenoid'circuit, acting to close a particular contact just prior to the return to action of Vits corre.- sponding idle shuttle. Also, the actuator stud His adjustable on its supporting lever andthe hooks are connected to their. rods by shock absorbing connections.

VHaving thus described my -invention itv will be seen that changes and modiiications may be made therein by those skilled in the art with.-v out departingfromthe spirit'and scope of the invention and I d-o not wish :to be limited tothe detailsherein disclosed, but what I claim is:

l. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom having a plurality of groups of reserve shuttles, :a plurality of shuttle advancers, one for eachgroup of shuttles,l to place a selected shuttle in transfer .-position, shifting shuttle box mechanism movablev to a position t-o `receive a shuttle in transfer position, and a unitary actuator to be operatively related to Athe .box mechanism and any l selected y'advancer to Vcause lcoordinated movements of the advancer and box mechanism simultaneously.

2. In a multicolor shuttle changing loom having a plurality of groups of reserve shuttles, a plurality of shuttle advancers, one for each group of shuttles, to place a selected shuttle in transfer position, shifting shuttle box mechanism movable to a, position to receive a shuttle in transfer position, a positioner to place the advancers, one at a time, in transfer position, and an actuator to move the advancer in transfer position and also the shuttle box mechanism simultaneously.

3. In a. multicolor shuttle changing loom having a plurality of groups of reserve shuttles, a plurality of shuttle advancers, one for each group of shuttles, to pljace a selected shuttlefin transfer position, shifting sh'uttle box mechanism movable to a. position to receive a shuttle in transfer position, a positioner to place the advancers, one at a time, in transfer position, and a single actuator to be in position to transmit simultaneously operating forces to the box mechanism and also the advancer in transfer position.

v :..4; Ina multicolor'shuttle-changing loom operating witha plurality of shuttles andhaving a plurality ofgroups of reserve shuttles,y an .ad- Vancer for each group` to` mover a shuttle from the: correspondingV group to aV transfer position,Y

a deviceto move toward said vtransfer .position to take the shuttle in such a. position, a lever to be operatively related to the device and .one only of said advancers, and. means. effective upon exhaustion` of weft Vin the'running shuttle to operatively relate the lever tothe device and the 'advancer simultaneously corresponding to the exhausted shuttle. rL y w Y 5. In a'multicolor shuttleA changing loomoperating with. azplurality of shuttles and having a plurality of groups ofxreserve shuttles,'anl ad- 'vancer for 'eachgroup toY move a shuttle from the. corresponding Ygroup to transfer position, a devicerto move toward saidy transfer position lto take a-shuttle insuch' a, position, anormally sta- 4 tionary :lever to be operatively related to the lever effective tomove the device toward'V transfer position and simultaneously actuate the advancer of the group corresponding tothe depleted'sh'uttle, saidlever thereby being effective to advance a shuttle and the device' toward the ltransfer position. v

`'7. In `a multicolor shuttle changing loom operating with a pluralityof shuttles and having a plurality of groups of reserve shuttlesVan advancer for each group to move a shuttle from the corresponding group to transfer position, a device to move toward said transfer Yposition to take the shuttle in such position, a regularly moving member, anv element to be operatively related to the device :and the advancer corresponding to the active shuttle, and means operative upon indicationv of weft yexhaustion in the active shuttle to relate .the member to the element tocause movementv of the latter which is effective to move the device and one ofthe advancers simultaneously. Y f

8. Inra, multicolor shuttle changing loom operating with a plurality'of shuttles and having a plurality of groups ofreserve shuttles, a, lay, an advancer for each group to engage a shuttle from the Vcorresponding group to transfer position, a Y

device to move toward saidl transfer position to take 'the shuttle in transfer position, a Vunitary actuator mounted independent of the lay for the Y device andthe advrancers,V andapos'itionerV movable in timed relation with the active shuttle to position but one of the advancers at a time oper- Vatively with respect tothe unitary actuator.

9. In a multicolor weftreplenishing loom having aV pluralityof groups Yof reserve shuttles, a lay, anadvancerfto engage each group, movement of any advancer being accompanied'v by movement of a'shuttlefrom Vthe corresponding group toward a common transfer position, a mov- Y able advancer-actuator constituting a Vsingle unitary device Vmovable independent of the lay, and

means to move all of saidadvancers and to relate but one of them at a time to the unitary actuator device. 'Y Y l V10.Y In a multicolor weft replenishing loom having a plurality. of groups of reserve shuttlesganV advancer for each group, movement of any ad- Y vancer being accompanied by movement of a shuttle fromthe corresponding.,groupvtoward a common transfer position, a regularly moving member, anactuator for the advancersa latch movable to position fto transmit force from the member to the actuator to move .the latter at common transfer position, a regularly moving member-,an actuatorV for the advancers,'means movable atindication of weftrexhaustion to a position to operatively vrelate the member and. Vactuatorfand ka lockfor the-means to hold the latter in positionto transmit force from the member to the actuator.V Y Y RICHARD G. TURNER. 

